Will try to find solution to BS-III ban: Gadkari

Source: The Hitavada Date: 01 Apr 2017 09:28:09

MUMBAI,

Mar 31,

(PTI),

ROAD Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the Government will look at a legal solution to help the automakers impacted by the Supreme Court’s ban on sale of BS-III vehicles from Saturday. “We will respect the court’s verdict and while implementing the order, if some legal recourse can be taken, we’ll do that,” he told reporters here.

He acknowledged that his ministry had earlier granted permission to the automakers to sell inventories before migrating to the stricter emission control BS-VI regime. “We respect the court’s verdict and cannot say that the judgement is wrong. After seeing the verdict, if we can help in some ways....We had taken a stand about the older stock, about allowing to sell those till the stocks get over,” the Union Minister said.

Asserting that the Government is sensitive to environmental concerns, Gadkari said the fact that Rs 4.5 lakh crore auto industry employs 50 lakh people should not be neglected either.

An “integrated” solution benefiting the country will have to be found, he said when asked why the Government, which is sensitive to ecological concerns, sided with the auto industry earlier. The Minister said the Petroleum Ministry has committed to supplying BS-VI compliant fuels before April 1 and added that the automakers have also assured to come out with vehicles which will be compliant with the norms.The Minister also listed out schemes implemented in his constituency Nagpur, such as 55 buses which run on ethanol and also promised introduction of electric taxis in two months in the Orange City.